Verre to bring French-Mediterranean fare to the ‘City of Glass’

A new restaurant opening soon in Coal Harbour will offer diners sophisticated French-Mediterranean fare, and comes with a name that’s a nod to Vancouver’s nickname “City of Glass.”

Photo courtesy Verre

Verre is set to launch on Dec. 10 at 550 Denman St., where the West End meets Coal Harbour at Georgia Street. The address has been home to several restaurants, including The Change and Six Degrees, however it had in the not-too-far-off past been the Crime Lab, which was a quirky eatery inspired by police forensics.

This new venture, however, for the 74-seat restaurant, is the project of chef Liam Breen, a Vancouverite who has worked across Canada as well as in Dubai.

“Returning to Vancouver with Verre is a dream I’ve had for a long time,” says Breen in a media release. “It’s a chance to promote a truly international style of cuisine in a place I’ve long wanted to call home again.”

On the menu are French-Mediterranean dishes made using seasonal ingredients. Verre’s launch menu will embrace the deep flavours of fall and early winter. The food will be approachable to omnivores and vegetarians alike, and hints from the menu include items like Duck Rillettes with red wine cherry compote; Chargrilled Octopus with anchovy saffron butter, olives and roasted garlic; Roasted Cauliflower in sauce grenobloise with croutons; and a Brown-Butter Cavatelli with pistachio, sage and Parmesan.

Verre will be open for dinner to start (lunch is likely to come in the spring, breakfast in summer), from 4 pm to midnight, seven days a week with a Happy Hour menu available from 4 to 6pm and again from 10 pm until close.

The name “verre” is of course French for glass, however it is also in reference to artist and author Douglas Coupland’s “City of Glass” nickname for Vancouver.

Photo courtesy Verre

To play on the concept of glass, Verre will offer diners a full view into the kitchen through a glass wall. The interior design is described as “sleek and soigné,” and was conceived by Fusion Projects. The space offers Coal Harbour views, and will have a seawall-facing patio with heaters opening soon.

Lindsay is the Managing Editor of Vancouver Is Awesome. A fifth generation Vancouverite, she was previously the Food Editor of Daily Hive, Senior Editor of Vancity Buzz, and Editor-in-Chief of LAist.com. Lindsay grew up in Vancouver and Toronto, then spent over 20 years in Los Angeles, where ahe earned her Masters in English, attended culinary school, and was an English professor. Lindsay's first published piece was December 1980 in The Province; it was her letter to Santa. E-mail: lindsay@vancouverisawesome.com